Interior space dividing wall systems as used in offices and the like typically incorporate a plurality of interconnected portable wall panels which often permit accessories such as work surfaces, storage units and other devices or structures to be mounted thereon. The wall panels generally include an interior upright frame which mounts, frequently releasably, cover pads or tiles on one or both sides thereof. The cover pads are typically provided with an outer cloth or fabric covering to provide the wall panel with a desirable appearance. Such cover pads require an internal supporting and rigidifying structure which may be defined by a rigid sheet of material such as formed metal, particle board, mineral board or the like, and/or an internal frame similar to an open picture frame. The internal structure of the pad then typically has the external face thereof covered with a thin sheet of flexible fabric or similar covering material. The flexible covering is also typically wrapped around the edges and corners of the internal structure. The covering is then secured by clips or adhesive to the internal structure.
Cover pads having constructions similar to those described above are well known, but as is well recognized in the industry, such pads possess structural and manufacturing complexities which cause the construction of such pads to be undesirably inefficient and costly, and which also result in the pads having a less than desirable appearance, particularly at the corners.
More specifically, the attachment of the flexible covering, i.e. the fabric, requires significant manual manipulation to effect aligning and stretching of the fabric across the exposed face of the internal structure. The wrapping and securing of the fabric around the edges is further complicated by the necessity of folding and inwardly tucking the excess fabric which exists at the corners. Such operations generally require significant manual handling of the fabric and often result in fabric wrapped corners of inconsistent quality and poor appearance. In addition, the internal structure often requires an undesired number of parts which increases manufacturing complexity and cost.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to improvements associated with cover pads, particularly for use on upright walls, which improvements simplify construction and manufacturing of the pad so as to overcome or at least minimize disadvantages associated with presently known cover pads.
More specifically, the cover pad of this invention provides an improved internal support for simplifying attachment of a flexible covering, i.e. a fabric. The internal support is of a hybrid construction in that it includes a flat plate-like substrate which is relatively rigid and is sized to closely conform to the size of the assembled cover pad. The plate-like substrate is enclosed within a ring-like frame defined by frame elements which extend along the respective edges of the substrate. Each frame element has a first elongate part which creates an engagement with the respective edge of the substrate, and a second elongate part which joins to the first part by a hinge, preferably a living hinge, which extends lengthwise of the frame element. The second part of the frame element functions as a swinging or hinging flange which is initially in an open position generally aligned with a flat front surface of the substrate so that a flexible fabric covering can be secured, as by an adhesive, to an exposed side surface of the flange while maintaining the fabric positioned across the front face of the substrate. The hinging flanges of the frame elements can then be folded, i.e. hinged, inwardly to overlie the respective edge of the substrate and create an engaged relationship with the respective first part of the frame member, thereby securing the fabric in position so that it extends tautly across the front face of the substrate and is also wrapped around all of the side edges thereof as defined by the frame elements, thereby providing the cover pad with a desired fabric-enclosed appearance.
In the improved cover pad of this invention, as aforesaid, the hinged flange part of the hinge portion of the frame element cooperates with the respective mounting part so as to define therebetween a clearance space which accommodates excess corner fabric material when the hinged part is moved into a closed or engaged position with the respective mounting part. The excess corner fabric material is inserted into this space during the closing or swinging of the hinge flanges of the frame elements so as to provide the cover pad with a fabric wrapped corner which has a consistent and desirable appearance.
The cover pad of the present invention, as aforesaid, preferably has the frame elements constructed of a plastics material which may comprise a dual extrusion so that the living hinge which extends lengthwise of the extruded frame element is of a flexible material relative to the material defining the first and second parts so as to permit hinging or swinging of the flange part through an angle of about 90° when the flange part is swingably moved from its normal open position during securement of the fabric thereto into its closed position wherein it overlies the edge of the substrate and creates an engaged relationship with the mounting part of the respective frame element. The mounting and hinging parts of the frame element are also preferably provided with cooperating latch structures which releasably couple the hinged part, when in the closed position, to the mounting part.
The improved cover pad of the present invention is believed to provide an improved structure by maintaining desirable structural integrity while at the same time permitting the pad to retain desirable properties with respect to sound absorption, acoustics, fire resistance and the like, and at the same time providing a cover pad which simplifies attachment of the fabric covering so that the resulting cover pad provides a relatively uniform appearance with respect to alignment of the fabric on the cover pad, and the folding of the fabric at the corners of the cover pad. In addition, this construction can be achieved in a manner which is believed to minimize the cost of materials, and which permits the construction of the cover pad to be partially or totally automated by minimizing manual manipulation and hence providing significant economy of manufacture.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The word “front” will typically be used in relationship to that side of the cover pad which faces outwardly when mounted on a frame, whereas the word “rear” will refer to the opposite and typically non-visible side of the cover pad when mounted. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.